Shaft-mounting for centrifugal machines.



PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

" Y M. L'HoYT. l

SHAFTv MOUNTING EUR GBNTNIFUGAL MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. v30, 190?. n

" risrrn sTiiTns MATTHEW L. noYT, or LITTLE iniLLs, New Tenn, Assiettes To o. nUsssLL e coursier, oT LiTTLnr rnLLs, NEW roert;

no, seems.,

Specification oi Letters lietenst.v A Patented Alieni@ Application filed leeuw 30. 1907. -lsrlal 1HoJBzLSl.

cream-separators in Awhich the howl or drum is mounted upon the upper end o1c the shaft or spindle. In this class of machines it is very dilliclt to balance the bowl or drum so correctly that it will run Without vibration at the high speed et which such machines ore operated, und various devices have been used for allowing the shaft or spindle to center itself to e certain extent and to run op proxim stely in the natural exis of rotation or exis of gravity. None of these devices has been entirely satisfeetorv; and the object of this invention is to produce such s self-ccnl tering sheft-moun ting which is simple in construction, easy to assemble, durable, and l ver),T elfieient in allowing the self-centering action which is necessary to cause the howl or drum to run without vibration although more o1' less out of loelunce.

ln the accompanying' drawings, Figure l is ay sectional elevation of e centrifugal creeuiseparator provided with this improved sh aitmounting. Figi'. 2 is e vertical section of the self-centering; sup-porting-licering the re straining-bearing, und edjeccnt 'ports on ein enlarged scale. Figi. 3 is e vertieel section oi the lower hearing on en enlarged seele. Fig. 4 is e horizontal section through the seit-cenw` tering supporting-he:ii-ing in line 4 4, Fig. 2, Fig'. is e horizontal section through the restraining-heinino in line 5 .3, llig. 2. Fig. (l e sectional elevation showing si 'modi'lied conw struction et the selieeul'ering supporting-2;- lleering.

Like letters ond numerals of reieremve re- 'lier to like parts iii the several 'ligures A renresouts the howl or drum of toentriliugui einen1-seporul'or, :ind ll the upright shaft or spindle, to the upper end o'l` ivhich the bowl or drum isr secured end which is rcteted oy env suitable ineohenisniMcr in stance, es s own, "by e. worm-wheel C, o, Worm c o halndeopereted Wheel `eind s pinional..

E reresents the stationery Teruel in which tie shaft is supported neer its uien/T end and below' the4 bottom oil' the howl.

self-centering bee-Ting F, which permits "l shaft to change its position suitornsticuil seeking its naturel et rotetionv shc'it runs et or neer its lower end ,Le e been ing or 'bushing G, which holds the shalt position against lateral displacement, hut does not support the shail't. l The 'e ht oi' the shaft, bowl, ond contents is supper ed by the upper self-centering supp ortingfheerine lo, find not by the lower Alieer-ing or liusning The point of support is therefore locs-ted con: siderebly nearer the center 'of gravity the bowl than in machines in which the Weight is supported by e step-bearing et the lower end oi the shaft, and this arrangement materially in steedying the sh'sift end bowl.:

lo addition to the upper self-centering sup'n porting-bearing F and the 1lowergbeering;` the shaft-mounting comprises a restraining bearing or bushing H, Whiehis located neer the supporting-hesring l?, preferably below the saine. The bore of'tlus restraining-beers 'ing is. much larger in diameter then the shaft that this bearing is not touched by the shaft in the positions which she-ft suines in the ordinary variations' oi running. When the shaft, however, webbles, gymles, or nieves sides-*isc beyond its ordinary rentre ci' positions, it cornes in conta-ct with the licei-ing or bushing H, end the'letter then restrains the further sidewise movement of the shelft'und confines the shaft to its permissible ronge of movement. This restraining-ineen ing is 'yieldiiiigly held in its normal position by e spring device of en. suitable construis-Jn tion, so arranged that the bearing will yield sidewise to e certain extent righe/n strucrr hy the shaft end will be returned to its centrati or normal position es tliedistnrbing torce ponds itsellf. The sellcentering supporting-bearing E* (represented in lgs. l, 2, und 4) is eonstrnet-- ed :is follows: lO'represents the portion oA the stationery freine E iu which this beaming l is supported, end 11 represents the easing the hearingvlfhich is seated in vthe treme and ieg v ings.

provided with a screw-cap l2. 13 represents a lower supporting-ring which rests movably in the cavity 14 of the casing. This cavity is spherical in form, and the ringT is rounded at its peripheral face, so that it can tilt in the cavity. lrepresents antifrictionballs which rest upon the ring 13, and 1.6 represents a thin spacing-ring which has openings for the balls and rests loosely upon an annular shoulder 17 in the casing 11, so that it can move freely on this shoulder in following the.balls. 18 represents an upper supporting-'ring which rests upon the balls and. u )on which the shaft rests by a neck 19, whic is, spherical in form and capable of tilting in the upper supporting-ringl 18. The central openings inthe supporting-rings 13 and 1S and in the spacing-ring 16 are made se much `larger than the shaft that the latter can move freely in a sidewise direction in these open- The two supporting-rings 13 and 18 are preferably made alike, as shown, and each is made alike on its upper and lower sides, so that in assembling the bearing either ring can be used as the lower ring` and each ring can be arranged either side up. The central openings of these supporting-rings are beveled or tapered inwardly from both sides to contact with the spherical neck 19 of the shaft. The screw-cap 12 of the casing confines the loose parts in the casing and is sufiiciently large to permit of the necessary free movement ot' these parts.

The weight of the shaft and the p arts supported thereby falls, primarily, upon the upper supporting-ring 18 and -is transmitted by the balls to the lower supporting-ring 13, which in turn rests on the easing 11, the latter being supported bythe stationary frame. The up er\si1pportingring 18 rotates with the shaft and on the balls, which in turn revolve about the shaft on the lower supporting-ring. The shaft is enabled to tilt in the lself-centering supporting-bearing F by means of the spherical neck 19, which tilts in the upper ring 18, and the bearing is enabled to tilt in its stationary support by means of the lower ring-13, which tilts in the spherical cavity of the casing or other support. These two soherical jointsy one between the shaft and the bearing and the other between the bearing and its stationary support, enable the bearing to always assume a position in which it stands at right angles to the natural runningr axis ofthe shaft, and the shaft is thereby enabledv to rotate freely about its natural ruiming axis or axis of gravity. lf the shaft moves sidewise in seeking the natural axis of rotation, the upper supportingring 13 moves sidewise on the balls, and the latter niay move .sidewise on the lower supporting-ring 13 until the shaft runs without vibration. The upper supporting-bearing F forms in this manner itself-centering support for the shaft, and as this bearingis located tions or vibrations caused by an unbalanced bowl are applied to this bearing directly and without causing the-shaft to spring, and the shaft is enabled to quickly assume that position in which the bowl runs steadily and without vibration. The necessity of balancing the bowl correctly, which is a matter of considerable difficulty and expense, is thereby avoided. For comparatively light or small ceiitrifugal separators-for instance, cream-separa- 'tors which are operated by hand-a supporting-bearing with a single satisfactory res tilts; but for largerinachinesfor instance, those which are operated by power-it is often desirable to use a bearing with two rows of balls, as represented in y Fig. 6. .In this construction an intermediate g supporting-ring 20 is linterposed between the upper row of balls 2-1, on which the upper supporting-ring 1S rests, and the lower row of balls 22, which rest on the lower supporting-ring 13. The spacing-ring 23 of the lower row of balls rests on the shoulder 24 in the casing 11, and the spacing-ring 25 of the upper row vof balls rests on a collar 26,

v ery near the bottom of the bowl the variaing outside of and above the lower spacing-ring. This collar is held from tnrnin by a screw 28 or other suitable means. Oi may be supplied to the self-centering bearing in any suitable manner-for instance, by a pipe 29.

The lower bearing or bushing G, which is represented on an enlarged scale in Fig. 3, is supported in the lower portion 30 of the stationary frame in any suitable mannerfor instance, by a housing 31, which is rol vided with an internal shoulder 32, on w ich the bearing rests by a collar 33, the housing being prevented from turning by a screw 34 or other suitable means. This lower bearing or bushing holds the lower end of the shaft againstlateral displacement, but does r iiortsnpport the load. A l he restraining-.bearing H may be yieldingly held m position in the frame by a ring 35 of india-rubber or by any other suitable or well-known springer system of springs. The internal diameter of this bearing is so same sidewise Without coming in contact therewith so'long as the displacement of the shaft does not exceed the permissible range ,of variation. When this is exceeded, the l lateral sway of the shaft is arrested by this bearing, and dangerous wabbling or gyrating of the shaft is thereby avoided. l The sidewise movement of the npper porl tion of the shaft and of the bowl mounted ,thereon which occurs in the self-centering action is comparatively small and takes place l abont the lower bearing as a pivotal point l and is permitted partly by reason of the row of balls gives which may rest on a shoulder 27 in the cas- IOO IOS

large that the shaft can freely, move in the ing lhaving a bore which is larger indiameter sidewise movement without supportingthe supporting-bearing saam? slightunavoidable play between the lower bearing and the shaft and the natural ilexibility of the shaft.

l claim as my inventionl l. A mounting for a vertical shaft comprismg a self-centering supporting-bearing arranged near the upper end of the shaft, a load carried by the shaft above said supportingbearing, `and a bearine' arranged near the lower end-of the shaft, tthe self-centering supporting-bearing 4carrying the load and p ermitting the upper portion of the'shaft to move side'wise in self-centering, and the lower bearing holding thelower portion of the shaft against sidewise movement, substantially as set forth.

2'. A mounting for a vertical shaft comprising a self-centering ball-bearing arranged near the upper end of the shaft and supporting the load, a load attached to the shaft above said supporting-bearing, and a lower bearing which holds the lower portion of the shaft against sidewise movement Without supporting the load, substantially as setforth.

3.' A mounting for a vertical shaft (.iarrying the load at its upper end, said mounting comprising a self-centering supporting-henring which is arranged near the upper end of the shaft and carries the load, and a restrainingbcaringhaving a bore which is larger in diameter than the shaft and permits the latter to move freely sidewise within the ordinary range of positions, but restrains excessive sidewise movement of the shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. A mounting for a vertical sh aft carrying the load at its upper end, said mounting comprising a self-centering supporting-bearing which is arranged near the upper end of the shaft and` carries the load, a restraining-bearthan the shaft and permits thelatter to move freely sidewise within the ordinary range of positions but restrains excessive sidewise movement of the shaft, and a bearing which holds the lower portion of the shaft against 5. A n'iounting for a verticalshaft carrying the load at its upper end, such mounting comprising a self-centering ball-bearing 'which supports the Aload and is arranged near the upper end of the shaft below the lo`ad said being capable of tilting in its sup ort and the shaft being capable of tiltingm the bearing and of moving sidewise in finding its natural axis of rotation, substantially as set forth.

6. In a self-centering shaft-mounting, the combination of a stationary support having a spherical cavity, a lower 'supporting-ring cal pable of tilting in said cavity, balls resting on said ring, an upper supporting-ring resting i lopd, substantially as set forth.

on said balls and capable of sidewise movement thereon, and a shaft having a spherical neck by which it can tilt in said 4up er supporting-ring, substantially as set fortli.

7. In aA self-centering shaft-mounting, the combination of a stationary support having a' spherical cavity, a lower supporting-ring eapable of tilting in said cavity, balls resting on said ring, a spacingring for said balls resting in said stationary support and capable of lateral movement thereim an upper supporting-ring resting ing on said upper supporting-ring, substantially as set forth.

8. in a self-centering shaft-mounting, the combination of a stationary support having a spherical cavity and above the same 'an internal shoulder, a lower supporting-ring eapable of tilting in. said cavity balls resting on said ring, a spacing-ring for said balls resting on said shoulder and capable of lateral movement thereon., an upper supporting -ring resting on said balls and capable of lateral movement thereon, and a shaft capable of tilting in said upper supporting-ring and capable of lsidewise movement in said lower supporting-ring, substantially as set forth.

9. In a self-centering shaft-mounting, the combination of a stationary support having a y on said balls and capable of', lateral movement thereon, and a shaft rest-` spherical cavity, a lower supporting-ring capablo of tilting in said cavity,.balls resting on said ring, and an upper su -porting-ring resting on said balls Iand capab e of lateral move-5 ment thereon, said rings being alike in form and interchangeable, substantially as set forth.

10. In a self-centering shaft-mounting, the

combination of a stationary support having a spherical cavity, a lower supporting-ring capable of tilting in said cavity, balls resting on said ring, and anupper supporting-ring rest- -ing on said balls and capable of lateral movement thereon, each of said rings being o f the same form on its upper and lower sides. and reversible, substantially as set forth.

ll. In a self-centering shaft-mounting, the

combination of a stationary support having a sphericalcavity, a lower sup porting-ring capable of tilting in said cavity, said ring, and an upper supporting-ring resting on said balls and capable of lateral movement thereon, each' -of said rings being re- '.versible and both rings beingr alike in form and interchangeable. substantialhr as 'set Y forth.

Witness my hand this 25th day of January, l 907 MATTHEW LjnoYr,

Witnesses GRIFFITH Peroni/lun, T. S. Roenes.

IIO

balls resting on 

